


The Kraken's Gift

by blackrose_17



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Almost everyone is some kind of magical sea creature, Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, M/M, Magical Creatures, Past Jared/JDM, Past Misha/Jared, Possessive Jensen, Supernatural Reverse Big Bang Challenge, Transformation, creature!jared, magic spells
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-24
Updated: 2015-01-24
Packaged: 2018-03-08 22:16:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3225458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackrose_17/pseuds/blackrose_17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared has waited for centuries for his mate to finally born, the one that will complete him. He just never considered that he would be human and with his friends help comes up with away to claim Jensen that doesn’t involve drastic attempts. Jensen Ackles has always loved the sea, maybe more than he should and he certainly shouldn’t harbour a sense of ownership over the Kraken who takes tributes from his village, even if those tributes are returned unharmed and in the same condition as they left, if anyone is to be Jared’s one true tribute it is him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Kraken's Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: The always wonderful RoyalLadyEmma  
> This story was inspired by liliaeth amazing art work which you can see here: http://liliaeth.livejournal.com/474911.html  
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the actors, nor is any part of this story real.

Far beneath the sun-dappled surface of the ocean, in the darkest depths of the cold waters lived a rather lonely kraken known as Jared. Now Jared wasn't your typical kraken, oh no, as legendary sea monsters go he was a most unusual kraken. Unlike the others of his kind, he didn't go around scaring people and sinking boats simply for the fun of it and he really didn't see the point in dragging poor, hard-working sailors to their deaths – it just littered the ocean’s floor with skeleton bones anyway and who wants to see that in their front garden!

No, Jared the peaceful kraken was perfectly content to stay tucked away in his own little corner of the sea, happily tending his luxurious kelp garden and feeding his pet sea anemones. He even volunteered his time with a small troupe of sea dragons and sea horses who often rehearsed their version of a traditional underwater ballet. Unfortunately, no matter what he did to occupy his time, Jared’s heart longed for the day when his one true love would be born but the centuries went on with no sign of his mate.

Now when it comes to krakens and indeed the majority of underwater dwellers, most people have it wrong; ask the so-called experts they’ll tell you that the oceans are inhabited by all manner of giant and dangerous sea monsters. Sure there were a few hideous beasts that had rows of razor-sharp teeth and fins for the lower part of their bodies but not Jared. He had a wonderful smile and lovely long tentacles that floated and danced gracefully with the currents.

When you think about it, it really was the bad press brought on by a few bad mannered krakens that made it so darned hard for Jared to find his mate.

It was an unknown fact that krakens only have one true mate, their other half, the one who completes them; as a result, they are unable to mate with anyone but their soul mate.

But no matter who or what you are, loneliness is a terrible thing that weighs heavily on one’s spirit and as time went on Jared slowly began losing hope that he would ever find the one who completed him. Finally he did what very few krakens dared to do: he tried to seek out other sources of romance in hopes that he could fall deeply enough in love that he could get over the pangs in his chest when he thought of being mateless for the rest of his life. No matter how much effort he put into his dates, they It didn't work out; the few times he found someone he thought he could love it didn’t end well for him.

First there had been Misha, an up-and-coming sea warlock; there was really only one way to describe Misha and that was crazy but in a good way. In the time they spent together he taught Jared how to enjoy life and how to live in the moment, to do something that you wanted to do even if it was crazy and most importantly, not to care that no one else would ever understand. Jared loved Misha, there was no doubt about it, in fact he still did but not in the way a lover would; today he saw him as a good friend but nothing more.

Then one night when they were out on a date, Jared and Misha met Genevieve, one of the sirens of the sea; she and her fellow sirens, Lauren and Danneel, were considered three of the most beautiful pearls in all the seven seas. The three sirens were seated at the table next to them and throughout the meal Jared felt honoured that Genevieve flirted shamelessly with him; it made him feel desirable and wanted.

But even as Jared was tempted to give in to the siren's advances his interest died a swift death the moment Misha laid eyes on Genevieve. Jared saw the shower of fiery sparks erupt between the two of them and he knew there was no way he was going to get in the way of that. So always the gentleman, Jared graciously stepped aside.

He didn't even attempt anything with Danneel and Lauren; they were only into one another and he didn’t want to be a third wheel.

Then Jared met Jeffery Dean Morgan, king of the Merpeople, and Jared felt lust for the first time in his long life. The Merking showed him passion that Jared hadn't believed truly existed as well as a few tricks to keep in mind when he finally found his true mate. But as satisfying, fun and educational as their relationship was it was never meant to be everlasting, a fact that was confirmed when Adrienne arrived in Atlantis.

Jared had been in awe of her natural beauty and kind heart and for a moment he even dreamed that she might be his until he watched Jeff trip over his words like a schoolboy just trying to say hello. It was clear to everyone who saw them that Jeffery had found his mate and once again, Jared bowed out. He did not want to cause trouble for anyone and even though he’d had no luck finding his own mate he was pleased that those he cared about the most were happy.

"Dude, you have the worst luck in love! This is why the Chad-man doesn't do mating."

Even though he’d thought about it numerous times, Jared still had no clue how he became friends with Chad the Royal Blue fish; all things considered he just wasn’t someone you would think would want to hang around a lonely kraken but after Jared saved the fish from a group rather hungry sharks Chad had decided that they were besties. On days when Chad was at his most annoying, which usually meant he was speaking in the third person, Jared wondered to himself why he hadn't just let the sharks eat him.

"I thought you were holding out for Sophia? Isn't she supposed to be the love of your life?" Jared asked raising an eyebrow. He had heard numerous stories about the wonderful Sophia ever since Chad had decided that Jared's often solitary life lacked excitement.

The blue fish shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Sophia's still playing hard to get but trust me; she'll come around sooner than later. I mean, come on, dude; no one can resist the Chad for very long." Chad couldn't understand why Sophia continued to resist his best romantic endeavours; surely she knew how great of a catch Chad was and that they were meant to be together forever.

Jared watched with barely contained amusement as Chad flitted from female to female, oozing charm from every pore. "Maybe she's waiting for you to show that you're serious about her?" Jared slowly suggested as Chad stopped by their table to catch his breath and wet his whistle. "You are quite the ladies fish, after all; maybe she's afraid that she is nothing but your next casual fling. I mean come on, Chad; you haven't exactly shown her how special she is to you. Better be careful or someone else might snatch her up right from under your nose." Jared knew that such a beautiful and alluring lady fish like Sophia it wouldn't be free for very long.

Chad growled, actually _growled_ and Jared had to admit that it was a pretty amazing feat for a fish. "I'll eat anyone who tries to get with my Sophia,” Chad vowed as he puffed out his chest.

It would have been a rather impressive threat if it had been made by Jared, but given Chad’s diminutive stature not so much. "That's going to be a little hard to do give your size," Jared pointed out helpfully.

"Fine, Mr Picky!” Chad waved his fin about in agitation. “Then I'll get _you_ to eat anyone who dares come between me and Sophia. How about them barnacles?"

Jared made a distasteful face; he wasn't fond of eating anyone. He really preferred food that didn't scream or beg or look at him while he ate, it rather ruined dinner. However Chad's pleading eyes had him sighing. "Fine,” he threw up his tentacles in defeat. “I'll eat anyone who dares to try and make a move on Sophia." _'It’ll be a way to keep busy and who knows, it might even ease the loneliness and give me something to focus on rather than my missing mate.'_

Defending his friend’s honour didn't take much effort – actually, it didn’t take any at all – but it was amusing for Jared to watch the  rather interesting courtship rituals Chad employed in his ongoing campaign to woo Sophia. Despite Chad’s lack of success, Jared had kept his word and he made sure he looked properly menacing to everyone who dared approach Sophia right up until the day that Sophia had had enough.

"Chad Michael Murray!” If it had been possible, the beautiful fish would have stomped her fins. “You stop using poor Jared to scare away my suitors! Either be fish enough to admit that you want me to be your mate or I start accepting other courting offers! I am not getting any younger and I want to have children of my own, so either get with the wooing and I mean right now, or I’ll find someone who will." Sophia was a pretty angelfish who didn't stand for any bullshit and in Jared's eyes she was the perfect match for Chad.

For perhaps the first time in his life Chad was rendered speechless albeit only for a moment before he started growling once again. "I don't think so, missy! The only one you will be having babies with is me!" Chad declared emphatically.

It was only when he saw Sophia beaming at him with happiness did Chad realise that he had been tricked and very cleverly in Jared’s opinion.

"There, now was that so hard to say?" Sophia asked looking rather pleased with herself.

"No, it wasn't,” Chad chuckled as he swam towards Sophia swishing his tail suggestively. “So… want to go make some babies?" Jared was sure that if fish had eyebrows Chad would be wiggling his right now.

Sophia rolled her eyes with fond indignation. "It wouldn't hurt you to be a little more romantic you know, but come on." She didn’t glance back as she swam away, confident that her conquest would be right behind her.

Chad sent Jared a quick wink before swimming off after Sophia and while Jared was happy for his friends once again he was reminded yet again of just how alone he was.

"Where are you, my mate? How much longer must I wait for you?" Jared asked softly. He refused to give up on his dream of finding his one true love no matter how lonely he became.

More years than Jared liked to count went by and he watched as his friends become parents and then grandparents. Now one thing that many people don't know about krakens is that they are magical creatures; oh not in the wizardly wave-a-wand, brew-a-potion way, but Jared had enough magic in his tentacles that he could extend Chad and Sophia's life spans. He wouldn't say it out loud but in his heart he knew that he would miss them terribly when they were gone and while some might think him selfish, Jared needed his friends around, they eased the burden of his solitude.

Jared was spending a quiet day at home doing chores and corralling some runaway kelp back into its bed. He had just settled down to nurture a sickly anemone when he experienced something he’d never felt before, a stirring in his heart and an awareness in his soul. He knew instantly what was happening: at long last his mate was being born! His one true love had finally arrived. As he settled the anemone in a soft bed of seaweed Jared found that he couldn’t wipe the delighted grin from his face; this was a day of celebration for he would finally meet the one being in all the world who was meant to complete him.

Despite how often he’d dreamt of his beloved and of all the creatures his mate could have been, him being born human had never crossed Jared's mind.

It started as a tingle, a feeling that only grew in strength as Jared experienced for the first time in his long life what it felt like to be complete. "My mate has been born!" Jared danced with joy as he followed the pull, wondering who his mate was.

But as he passed the merfolk and the sirens and then found himself drawing closer and closer to land Jared began to get worried, not too far from where he lived was a small fishing village whose residents had once upon a time offered him annual tribute. _'Could it be?’_ He searched his feelings about his love. _‘Could my mate be human?'_

Taking great care not to be seen and making sure that he didn't create ripples as he moved through the waters Jared grew closer to the huts, following the invisible psychic trail that linked him to his mate.

Jared heard the sounds of a baby crying and his heart clenched with unimaginable joy; he knew who that was. "Shh, my little one. I'm here now and I will watch over you." Jared sent his vow out into the Universe on the wind that rustled through the trees and danced across the ocean’s surface. To all others it sounded like waves crashing against rocks but not to his mate; even though he was but hours old he could hear and understand Jared's voice, he could feel it resonate in his soul.

Donna Ackles tried desperately to ignore her frustration as she threw open the bedroom window and looked out into the distance. Her newborn baby, Jensen, had been crying non-stop for hours and nothing she could do could calm him down or get him to stop. A soft ocean-scented breeze wafted into the room and Jensen abruptly stopped crying the moment he heard the sound of the waves rolling onto the shore and crashing onto the rocks.

Donna stared in awe as all crying ceased and even though he still sniffled and had a few tears in his eyes she could see that he definitely looked happier. "Does my little Jensen like the sound of the ocean?" Donna asked as she gently wiped the tear stains from her son’s cheeks.

Jensen gave a small coo as he reached out his tiny hands if searching for something and even though she knew it was impossible for infants his age to smile, in Donna’s heart she knew that whatever her son was reaching for it would bring him the greatest joy he would ever know.

Jared wasn't sure how long he stayed hidden in the shadows just watching and listening to the sounds of his mate; to Jared nothing sounded sweeter than the soft coos and gentle chortles Jensen was making. To the ears of the no longer lonely kraken they were the sounds of promise, of future, of a life they would spend together. He stayed as long as he dared until the sun's first rays reminded him that with the dawn’s light he was sure to be spotted by the fishing boat crews heading out to sea.

"I'll be back tonight, Jensen, as soon as the sun sets into the ocean I shall return and I will sing our song of love to you," Jared promised and with one last look at the hut that housed his mate Jared forced himself to return to the depths. As he slipped beneath the waves his heart ached, already missing his mate’s presence.

In a daze Jared swam straight to Chad and Sophia's home where he knew he would find a friendly ear. He had to share his news with someone and there was no-one he trusted more than his oldest and dearest friends. He tippy-tentacled through the front garden taking great care to avoid stepping on the myriad children’s toys that littered the sidewalk and before he could knock on the door it flew open and an angry angelfish thrust her face into his.

"Jared! We've been so worried! You swam off in a daze! Where were you?" Sophia demanded as she poked the kraken in the chest with her fin. “Are you all right?”

It took Jared a moment to realise that Sophia wasn't alone. Misha, Genevieve, Lauren, Danneel, JDM and Adrienne were there with her, all of them pushing their way through the door, each one with their own questions to ask.

Before he even had a chance to answer Sophia, Misha punched him in the fin and exclaimed, “Well don’t just float there, say something!”

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to worry anyone but I found my mate, he was born last night in the human village," Jared told them in a distracted voice.

There was total silence for several seconds and then pandemonium broke out when as one they all demanded, "You're mate is human?"

“Yeah, he is,” Jared nodded with a rather dopey but completely love-struck look on his face. "His name is Jensen and he is the most perfect baby ever to have been born, human or sea-folk. I didn't get a chance to see what colour of eyes he has but I’m sure that they are more beautiful than the rarest and shiniest of jewels."

"My friend, you are gone, like around the bend gone. You do know that you'll have to do something about the fact that he’s human and you’re a kraken, don't you?" Danneel pointed out.

Jared’s smile beamed brighter than any lighthouse on shore. "No worries, I plan on talking to Mark as soon as possible. Either Jensen joins me in the sea or I join him on land."

Jared's statement was so unexpected that it left everyone with their mouths hanging open and blinking in surprise and for several moments all they could do was look back and forth between Jared and each other.

Very concerned for her friend, Genevieve swam up to Jared and placed a fin on his shoulder. "Are you sure about this? Could you really give up the ocean and us if Jensen chooses not to change?" she asked in a soft voice.

Jared placed his fin on top of hers and gave a gentle squeeze. "If it came down to that I would miss you all very much, never doubt that for a moment, any of you, but Jensen is the other half of my heart, my soul mate and there is no pain greater than living without him.” He glanced slowly around the assembled group, looking each of his friends squarely in the eyes. “Trust me; I know what I’m talking about. I've lived for centuries with an ache in my soul which can only be cured by my one true love. I would give all of this up for Jensen that’s the only way we could be together."

Jared’s passion for his newly discovered mate radiated from him like the rays from the sun as he calmly pointed out, "And if any one of you were in my tentacles you would do the same."

Not one sea creature among them could deny that Jared spoke the truth, if push came to shove they would give up anything and everything to be with their mate.

It was Misha’s exaggerated pout at Jared that broke the tension. "You know,” she spoke thoughtfully, “I think I should feel hurt and probably even insulted that you would seek out Mark Sheppard's help and not mine." Misha even gave a fake sniffle and wiped an invisible tear from her eye.

That had Jared's eyebrow raising. "Do you know how to prepare the potions that would be needed to turn a human into a merman or a kraken into a human?"

A thoughtful look appeared on Misha's face as he admitted in a sheepish voice, "Let’s just say I know _of_ them."

Lauren smiled at Misha. "I think you just proved his point, love; a spell like that takes immense power and while you’re good you are still learning. We have to face the fact that Mark is the very best.” She patted his shoulder as if to ease the blow. “There can’t be any mistakes when casting this kind of spell, it’s just too dangerous. Jared is right to seek out Mark's help, but the thing is…” she turned to the kraken with a frown marring her pretty face, “…will he give it to you?"

That was a rather important question, one that Jared honestly didn't have an answer to. Mark never did anything for anyone without the recipient paying a hefty price but the kraken knew he had to try. Success meant being with his soul mate and there was absolutely no price too big to pay if it meant being with his beloved Jensen.

"There is nothing Mark could ask of me that would be too great a price to pay in order to be with Jensen." And not one of them could find the lie in Jared’s words.

“Well now all you need to do is convince Mark to meet with you,” Chad pointed out with a helpful grin.

A knowing chuckle escaped JDM’s lips. “That won’t be a problem not once Jared breaks out those famous or should I say infamous puppy-dog eyes! I’ll bet you even money that not even Mark Sheppard will be immune to them, just you watch.” Abyss knows that Jared had used them on him often enough to get what he wanted; he also knew that they had saved Chad a few times and Jeffery had no doubt that Mr Tough-Guy Sheppard would be putty in Jared’s tentacles.

Now as it happened, Mark Sheppard was a very busy man, his myriad responsibilities came part and parcel with being the most powerful sea-warlock in all of the seven seas. Normally he didn’t take last minute appointments – usually there just wasn’t any extra time in his schedule – but then he’d never met a pure-blood kraken that could do the puppy eyes and still look utterly miserable.

“To be honest, moose, I figured that you would have visited me a lot sooner than this for help in finding your mate.”

Jared couldn’t understand why Mark called him moose, he had seen a moose before, they were a large rather ungainly surface animal and he wasn't sure if he should be insulted or not but since he desperately needed Mark’s help he wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Look, moose, I know all about it; you want your pretty little mate to join you so believe me when I tell you that as he gets older he will be drawn more and more to the ocean. The draw will be absolutely irresistible because you’re two parts of the same soul; you simply cannot exist without the other. Ordinary mortals don't get that but your Jensen will. As he approaches puberty, the human instinct that leads to mating, he will feel the same pain you felt.”

Jared made a sound of displeasure. “Isn’t there some way to spare him that pain?”

“Unfortunately, no,” the wizard shook his head solemnly. “He must experience those very same feelings that made you such a joy to be around when you sulked for years. The only difference is that you knew what you were missing, your little human Jensen won't have a clue what’s happening to him and it could drive him insane,” Mark warned.

Jared instantly paled; the idea of anything happening to his Jensen was almost too much for him. “What can I do? Please, you have to help me keep him safe! I’ll do anything to be with Jensen; I’ll even become human if that’s what it takes!” Jared declared in a dramatic fashion. He couldn’t let anything to Jensen and if their being apart would drive Jensen insane then Jared would give up his life as a kraken right this moment.

“Oh, for Poseidon’s sake!” Mark muttered under his breath as one hand whipped out at lightning speed and smacked the kraken.

“Oww! Why did you hit me?” Jared asked pouting as he used two tentacles to rub the back of his sore head.

Pulling back his hand Mark shrugged his shoulders. “Because I bloody well felt like it and also because I need you to listen to me and that clearly isn’t going to happen if you’re acting like a quivering jellyfish.”

“You could have just said something, you know,” Jared pouted childishly.

Ignoring the kraken, Mark continued. “Your mate will be drawn irresistibly to the water as his longing for you grows. I really don’t understand why your mate was born human but I do know that there are two choices for a solution. I can make two potions; one will turn you human while the other will turn your mate into a merman. They’re both quite complicated so they will take some time to create,” Mark warned.

Jared had feared that but then again he hadn’t plan on claiming Jensen until he was much older. “How long are we talking about?”

“About twenty years.” Mark never saw a point in beating around the bush, especially when bad news was involved.

Twenty years to a normal soul that might seem a long time but with Jared’s life span it would be nothing more than the blink of an eye, although the fact that he was waiting to claim his mate would make it feel like five times as long. A sigh escaped Jared’s lips. “I guess it’s a small price to pay if it means I can spend the rest of my life with Jensen.”

“Glad you think so, moose, now about my fee.” Mark never did anything without a price and each one was specific to the customer.

“Name it. I’ll pay anything.” There was a glint of pure determination in Jared’s eyes.

“Glad to hear it.” The wizard nodded approvingly. “I want some of your magical essence. Krakens are ancient; they come from back in the good olden days when magicks were pure and untainted and it’s just so hard to find magic that hasn’t been polluted by modern times and beliefs. So, do we have deal?” Mark asked with a knowing smirk on his face; he was the only hope that Jared had of ever being with his mate.

From the beginning of time magic had been a part of their souls, inexplicably woven through their very being and to remove even the smallest part could cause an unbelievable amount of pain but for the chance of being with his soulmate Jared would bear it. “You have a deal.” No one could ever question the sheer determination in his answer.

“Wonderful, moose, then in twenty years I will give you two potions and you will give me a couple of drops of your essence.” With a sharp snap of his fingers a scroll appeared in Mark’s hands and he held it out to the kraken. “Now just sign here and it’s a done deal.”

Jared knew that the others would scream and angrily berate him for signing something without reading it over first, so despite the burning need to just say yes and thereby ensuring his future with Jensen, he settled down to read the fine print on one of Mark’s notoriously complicated and sometimes deceptive deals.

“Moose, I’m hurt!” The wizard clutched his chest dramatically. “It’s almost as if you don’t trust me.” Mark knew Jared wasn’t a fool, which was really too bad all things considered because he liked doing business with fools; it was so much easier to put a little something extra in the paperwork. Oh and the greedy too; they were always so sure they could get one over on the wizard and wind up with a little something extra out of the deal that Mark wasn’t aware of.

Fortunately, Jared was much smarter than many gave him credit for, even his friends sometimes thought he was a little slow, but having endured the pain and loneliness of living for so long without a mate there was no way he was going to risk missing a sneaky loophole in Mark’s contract.

“So do we have a deal?”

Jared lifted his eyes off of the scroll once he was satisfied that he could see nothing hidden in the fine print. “We have a deal, Mark,” and the kraken grabbed the quill and signed his name on the bottom of the parchment with a flourish.

“Wonderful, moose, here’s your copy and I have mine. It was pleasure doing business with you; do stop by again for anything else you might need,” Mark offered as he handed Jared his copy of the deal. “Put that in a safe place because I won’t replace it.”

There was no way that Jared was going to tell Mark that he was giving his copy of the deal to JDM for looking after that was just asking for trouble.  _‘Now all I have to do is wait twenty years to be with Jensen.’_

__

 

Jared had a plan, granted it wasn't the smartest thing he’d ever thought up but still it was a plan and that should count for something. He needed a way to lay claim to Jensen without having angry villagers hunting him down for child stealing.

"We could always sneak in and snatch him up in the middle of the night," Chad suggested and rather disturbingly, he looked far too happy with the idea of kidnapping Jared's mate.

"I don't think so, Chad. Jensen has to decide to be with Jared of his own free will, not because he has no choice in the matter. And besides, Mark said the potion to turn him into a merman will take years to brew which means he’d drown without gills.” Sophia cheerfully pointed out the flaws in her mate’s plan.

Jared shifted uncomfortably. “That’s okay; I came up with my own plan, one that doesn’t included kidnapping.” Jared cut a pointed look at Chad as the blue fish opened his mouth to object; the kraken wasn’t at all surprised to see that his friend didn’t have the grace to look sheepish about suggesting they commit a crime. “Remember back in the old days when I was worshiped by the villagers and every year on Trident Day they would offer me tribute? Well, I talked to the fish guilds and they have agreed to help me out.”

“How do you know that your Jensen will still be a virgin by the time he reaches the right age?” Lauren’s question was a valid one but and one that had crossed Jared’s mind although he really did not like to think about someone else catching his mate’s eye.

Unwilling to let his friends see his worries, Jared puffed out his chest and waved his tentacles wildly. “I will drag anyone to the very depths of the ocean who dares to try and mate with my Jensen!” the kraken roared defiantly.

Not one of his friends doubted he meant what he was saying and just to be safe they slowly backed away from the angry kraken and his powerful tentacles. Well all that is but Misha who stood his ground, grinned brightly and slapped Jared on the back, “That’s crazy! I like it!”

“Well that doesn’t fill me with confidence, cos let’s face it, people, nothing that _ever_ has Misha’s seal of approval on it _ever_ ends well.” Jeffery looked around the group of friends, “Am I right or am I right?”

There was a murmur of assent as well a twitter of laughter and even Misha grinned awkwardly. “Hey, when you got it, you got it!”

“But something tells me that you are dead set on carrying out this crazy plan of yours.” Jeffrey found himself hit with a combination of Jared’s sheepish smile and his infamous puppy eyes, a look that he and the answering groans around him that agreed that no one could say no to. With his fins on his hips, Jeffrey shook his head and gave in to the inevitable, “Looks like we’re all helping out.”

Jared’s face lit up like he’d just been handed the keys to Jeffery’s kingdom and the next thing the Merking knew he had his arms full of a very happy and slightly tearful kraken. Jeff couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face; it had been a long time since he had seen Jared so happy and he was willing to do everything in his power to make he stayed that way. It had been a long time coming for Jared and certainly no one deserved it more.

Jared was a good soul with a kind heart and he didn’t like the idea of anyone suffering just so he could get his mate, so he made sure that whenever the boats went out the fishing nets caught more than their usual share so that the village had extra fish stocked up.

And true to his word every night as soon as the sun had set beyond the horizon Jared swam to the Ackles house and let the sound of his mate’s happy coos sooth his aching soul. In Jared’s eyes Jensen was the single most beautiful baby to have ever been born and he couldn’t wait for the day when he could call him his.

“You’ll see, my love, twenty years will go by in a flash,” Jared whispered and wondered who he was trying to reassure, Jensen who had no concept of time or himself who felt every second pass by?

_Twenty years later_

“Hurry up, guys! We’re going to be late for the ceremony!” In his entire small village Jensen Ackles was the only one who didn’t dread the annual choosing of the tribute; to him it was the most exciting thing that happened.

“Keep your kraken-loving pants on; we’re coming,” Chris Kane grumbled as he straightened his shirt and joined his friend who was waiting at the door anxiously bouncing on his feet. “I swear to God that you’re the only one I know that actually has a hard-on for the kraken. Saving yourself for him are we, Jenny?”

Despite the blush he could feel heating his cheeks Jensen punched Chris hard in the arm. For as long as he could remember Jensen had always known that he didn't belong on land, that his heart – in fact his entire being – longed for the sea; there had always been an irresistible pull in his soul leading towards the ocean.

His best friends, Chris Kane and Steve Carlson, were the only ones he’d felt ever felt comfortable talking to about this. No one else, not even his family could understand why he longed for the ocean or why the mighty kraken held such a special place in his heart. He remembered when he was just four years old and he’d told his father how much he loved the frightening sea creature and the older man had laughed at him cruelly, telling him to go say that to the widows and orphans left behind after a kraken had destroyed several of the fishing boats. Jensen had never mentioned it to his family again.

As was so often the way in these modern times, many in the village believed that the kraken was only a myth left over from their grandparents time, when the old tales were told around the camp fires but that scepticism all changed when Jensen was six years old. According to the story for the first six years of the young boy’s life the fishermen were able to bring in more fish the villagers knew what to do with. They thought that good fortune had finally smiled on them and so the industrious people preserved the catch by salting them, freezing them them; they even had enough to use for trade with the next village.

One day all that changed and the nets began coming back with fewer and fewer fish; before too long the stores of preserved fish were gone and some people even moved away because they were unable to support their families. Then one evening a sailor who had gone out farther than the rest in hopes of a bigger catch returned home in the twilight hours and saw a kraken lurking too close to shore. He barely got his boat moored before he ran screaming into the village, raising the alarm and blaming the sea monster for their run of bad luck.

An emergency town meeting was called and ideas for dealing with the kraken were tossed about alongside predictions of doom and gloom but unlike the rest of his village Jensen knew that the elegant creature from the ocean’s depths meant them no harm. No, Jensen knew in his heart of hearts that he was merely looking for something.

After several hours of arguing and worrying the meeting broke up and the villagers walked home in small groups, the men still loudly discussing the problem, the women casting fearful glances into the darkness and the children laughing and playing sea monsters. Long into the night and until the sun began to colour the horizon, the elders studied the old scrolls and poured over long forgotten histories until finally they found the answer they were hoping for. An ancient prophecy spoke of a tribute being offered to the kraken, it stated that his dreadful hunger could only be sated by the willing sacrifice of a virgin man or woman.

Jealousy was a powerful emotion, one that Jensen Ackles experienced for the first time when he was six years old and Matt Cohen, who was considered to be one of the village’s most handsome young men, was chosen by the elders as the first sacrifice to the kraken. Jensen couldn't understand why Matt and everyone else looked so sad; in fact Matt’s mother hadn’t stopped crying since the announcement was made. If he was in Matt's place he would have been thrilled, if he were the chosen one he’d get to live in the ocean!

Jensen made the mistake of telling his mom that he wanted to be sacrificed when he got old enough and she immediately burst into tears, dropping a pitcher and soaking her skirt with milk. She grabbed her son, clutching him to her bosom as she sobbed and then she made Jensen promise that he would never think like that again, that going with the kraken was not something he should long for. Jensen had promised his mom but he’d kept his fingers crossed behind her back, knowing that he was telling a lie.

A dark ugly emotion stirred in Jensen’s soul each year thereafter, whenever the chosen one’s name was called and that person be it man or woman was offered to the kraken to appease him. Jensen didn’t like the idea of them going to be with the kraken but the feeling never lasted very long because the person who was chosen was always returned the next day and the fisherman’s nets were once again full to overflowing. No one could understand why the kraken never kept their tribute but there wasn’t a single complaint heard when their loved one was returned unharmed and still a virgin. It was the last part that had mattered the most to Jensen, although he didn’t understand why until he entered his teen-age years and learned about the birds and bees.

It caused a great stir of curiosity, consternation and commotion throughout the village when more than one of the chosen had come back gushing with claims that the kraken wasn't a monster after all but a beautiful living God, one the virgins wished had taken what they had been offering. After that particular story had gotten out there had been an upsurge in the number of young people preserving their virginity, each of them hoping that they would be the one the kraken favoured above all the others.

There had been several close calls as more than once Jensen had wanted to rip out the throat of anyone who’d boasted that they would be the perfect specimen of humanity that finally snagged the kraken. Although he had to hide his intentions from his mother, Jensen was determined that if anyone was having the kraken it was going to be him. He knew in his heart that he was the only person meant to share the lonely kraken’s life; after all, hadn’t he listened to the song of the kraken’s heart since the day he was born?

As he grew into adulthood, Jensen had taken Matt's place as most handsome man in the village; he had a lean, muscular body, lush brown hair and beautiful green eyes that twinkled with untold mischief. He was constantly fielding offers and rebuffing unwanted advances from every available man and woman in the village, including a number of travellers from afar who’d come to see and perhaps seduce the kraken for themselves. There were even quite a few suggestive propositions from those villagers who had already taken a mate but not one person be it man or woman ever truly caught his attention. He didn't know how he could be so sure of one simple fact, but Jensen Ackles knew that he belonged body, mind and soul to the kraken and that one day soon he would be by his mate’s side where he would remain forever.

"Stop teasing him, Chris," Steve piped up as he joined them gently hitting his partner in the arm in the exact same spot that Jensen had just hit him moments before. Jensen had confided that he was sure _this_ was his year to go to the kraken only to have Chris remind him that every time he said that another was chosen instead. To make matters worse, Chris had then laughed at Jensen’s crest-fallen face thus leading to the punch.

Scowling Chris rubbed his arm. "Will you two stop hitting me?" he whined under his breath.

Jensen and Steve exchanged conspiratorial looks and then shook their heads. "Nope!"

Rolling his eyes in exasperation, Chris let out a long-suffering sigh. "I have no idea why I put up with the two of you!" he growled good-naturedly.

Steve winked lasciviously at his partner as he reminded him, "Because you love that _thing_ I can do with my tongue," and then he laughed when Chris blushed prettily. 

Watching the exchange between the happy couple Jensen made a face of disgusted amusement. While he loved his friends and was pleased that they had gotten together, he did not need to know the details of their sex life and from the glazed look on Chris' face whatever they were hinting at had to be something really good. "Come on, guys, we are going to miss the choosing!" There was absolutely no way Jensen was going to miss this year’s ceremony; he had an incredibly strong feeling that today his life was going to change.

Today was the day, Jensen was finally twenty years of age, the age of choosing, and Jared knew that his beloved was still pure and untouched. As promised Mark Sheppard had delivered both potions and the kraken had them tucked safely away in his cave. For his part in the ‘Get Jared and Jensen Together’ mission Misha had cast a spell to ensure that Jensen's name would be chosen.

Over the past two decades it had been so incredibly hard to accept tributes that weren't his mate and more than once Jared had been forced to fend off the unwanted advances of an over-eager sacrifice. Once they’d gotten a good look at Jared they were more than willing to fulfil their part of the bargain. Each morning Jared couldn't return them to the shore fast enough before swimming directly to the rocky outcropping next to Jensen's house. The kraken needed to feel his mate's soothing presence.

One of Jared’s fondest memories was the first time he’d stumbled upon Jensen in the middle of a rather jealous rant, a rant that grew more detailed every year that another was given to Jared. It warmed Jared's soul to the very core when he’d heard Jensen’s possessively growl that the kraken was his and no one else’s and now that the time had come, Jared couldn't wait for that to finally come true.

"Today is the day!" Jared couldn't keep the smile off of his face as he swam in dizzy circles of excitement. He had taken great care to make sure that he looked his absolute best today; he had tanned the day before and now his skin was a golden-bronze hue and he had even allowed the girls to do his hair.

JDM let out a low wolf whistle when he saw the kraken in all his glory and then he winked at Jared. "Looking good, Jared; Jensen won't know what hit him. Now, my friend, go get your mate." He gave Jared a gentle shove and then he watched as the rather excited and definitely nervous kraken swam towards the surface to claim his mate.

"We won't see them for days," Misha predicted.

"Puh-leese!” Chad snorted. “Jared has been waiting for this moment for centuries; we would be lucky if we see them in a months' time."

Not one was going to take that wager; it was a suckers bet after all.

"Is it just me or is the crowd bigger this year?" Steve asked as they fought their way through the throngs of villagers towards the front of the gathering. There was no real reason for either him or Chris to be there since they were no longer virgins were therefore not eligible for selection even if they were it wouldn’t matter; the two were completely and totally committed to one another. No, the only reason they came was to support Jensen, to cheer him on if he were successful or to commiserate with him just in case he didn't get chosen again. There was also the little matter of preventing their friend from murdering the lucky one who was selected and most importantly, to support Jensen's family just in case their friend really did get his deepest wish.

"Well, if the rumours are anything to go by, this kraken is a real sight to behold and let’s face it, the stories certainly have grown by word of mouth over the years. I think everyone wants to be able to brag that they were the one who finally got the creature to give in. I mean, it's like a bloomin’ contest for everyone here but Jensen!" Chris stated as he glanced at his friend.

Jared was standing there glowering at the men and women who were prancing and preening about, each one sure they would be selected, with a look that screamed pure murder. He was practically quivering with impotent rage, mentally daring each person to be chosen over him.

"See what I mean?" Chris asked gesturing towards Jensen whose jaw tightened as a group of gushing girls and boys passed them by, each of them stating that they would be the one to claim the kraken.

For everyone’s sake, Steve and Chris prayed that Jensen was the one chosen as the village’s yearly tribute to the sea creature.

Samantha Ferris, leader of the village, fought hard to contain her look of disdain as the voices of the young drifted to her on the air; she was so sick and tired of hearing the same thing year after year, all the constant bragging about how they were the kraken’s one true mate. Her family was the only one to know the truth about the kraken and they had protected his secret from the very beginning.

Many centuries ago when the area was first starting out, her village and its fishermen had been protected, kept safe from enemies on land and sea by the kraken. Her ancestors knew that he was just a lonely soul who longed to be loved and that he was forever searching for his mate, his other half. _'These children have no idea how lucky they are,’_ she silently fretted. _‘If it wasn't for Jared our village wouldn't be what it is and if my grandmother was still alive they would all be getting an earful.'_

Sam's grandmother had made sure that all her children and grandchildren knew how very special they were that they had such a kind and caring protector in Jared; they in turn understood how fortunate they were and so they never once thought that he deserved to be looked at as a carnival prize. _‘Thankfully not all the villagers act so cruelly,’ she reflected._ It had made her very happy to see each chosen one return to the village still a virgin, this proving her belief that their kraken was waiting for someone very special.

Sam let her gaze be drawn to Jensen who was still glaring out at the crowd with his arms on his hips and his jaw clenched. She had been watching him each year during the selection ceremony and she had become convinced that Jensen was the kraken’s true mate. She had seen the way Jensen's eyes would gaze out longingly across the ocean with such intense longing it made her heart ache for the young man. Having known the young man since the day he was born and having witnessed the unusual affinity he had for anything to do with the ocean she knew that Jensen didn't belong on the land, not when his heart belonged to the sea. _'Let today be the day,'_ Sam prayed as the gong was struck announcing the moment had arrived. The throngs before her silenced immediately and anxiously watched as she reached her hand into the basin that held the names of all those who had entered. As Samantha lifted the seashell out from amongst all the others she felt a tell-tale tingle of old magic run up her arm and she knew that her prayers had been answered. The shell was imbued with magic pure and untainted originating in the ancient times and she knew that today was the day.

It took all of her willpower not to smile with joy as Sam read the name off the carefully engraved shell, "This year our village’s tribute to the kraken is Jensen Ackles."

As soon as he heard his name read Jensen's legs trembled and then tried to give out; it was only Steve and Chris' arms around him that kept him standing.

There were a number of disappointed murmurs in the crowd and Jensen could hear his mother begin sobbing but his eyes didn't move from the watching the ocean. As a result of his unwavering scrutiny he was the first to see the waters begin to ripple; it was just little at first but then the ripples grew as something large slowly emerged. The murmurs, conversations and crying tapered off and silence fell over the crowd as a body rose from the depths of the waters and hovered near the shore.

This was something new and even alarming. The kraken had never come in person to claim his tribute; the chosen ones were delivered to him in a special boat used just for this purpose and rowed to a certain spot by the village elders.

"Well damn! It would seem the rumours weren't far off the mark; that is one impressive-looking package!" Chris let out a whistle which abruptly cut off when Steve punched him in the arm.

That shrill sound was enough for Jensen to temporarily stop gawking at his kraken and shoot his friend a possessively warning glare before turning his attention back to his kraken. "He's perfect," Jensen breathed out in awe.

He was aware of waves of the villager’s fear and uncertainty rolling over him and Jared could feel all eyes on him but he only had eyes for Jensen. He tried not to fidget as Jensen gazed at him like he wanted to devour him on the spot; it was taking all of Jared's willpower not to offer himself up to Jensen right then and there. Swallowing hard Jared moved through the shallow water as gracefully as he could, the pull to his soulmate was strong and from the way Jensen was shrugging off his friends’ cautionary hands he felt it too.

There had always been an irresistible pull between Jensen’s soul and the sea, one that grew stronger and stronger as he got older. The need to be one with the briny depths only loosened at night when he would lay in bed and listen to the waves sing him to sleep. Now, as he approached the water he could hear that song louder than ever and it didn't take a genius to figure out that each note was taking him to Jared.

Once Jensen reached the edge of the shore Jared held out his hand as if inviting him to step into the water. "Jensen, you have no idea how long I have been waiting for this moment," Jared murmured. _‘You are more beautiful than I ever imagined.’_

Jensen's raised eyebrow and the amused curl of his lip had Jared whimpering a sound that only got louder as Jensen smirked. "Well before I go anywhere with you I want a name. It seems only fair." He also planned on finding out how the creature knew his name in the first place.

The kraken bowed his head as he introduced himself. "I am Jared. I am yours."

_'Jared, my Jared!'_ Jensen liked the sound of that. “Pleased to meet you, Jared.” He also liked the way the kraken’s name slid off his tongue.

There were no more words spoken; the rest of the world faded into nothingness as the two of them stared deeply into one another’s eyes, mesmerised by the future they saw in them.

"Jensen! Son, you don't have to go with him!" It was Donna's tearful cries that broke the spell. “Please stay here with me! I’m begging you, stay…” her voice broke with emotion. She knew it was useless to plead; her son’s destiny had been set the moment he’d emerged from her body.

Jensen turned to his mom, his heart breaking for the amount of pain that she was in. "I'm sorry, mom, I love you and dad but my place is here with Jared; it always has been. I'll come back and visit as much as I can, I promise." Jensen shot Jared a look that said he knew he would be doing just that because he also knew that this was one time the tribute would not be coming back.

Jared gave a quick nod willing to agree with anything his mate wanted. "Any time that Jensen wants to come for a visit I'll bring him. I promise you that I will never harm him nor will I allow any kind of harm to come to Jensen.” There were tears in his eyes as he confessed, “he is my soulmate, the one I have been waiting centuries to find," Jared told Jensen's family and friends although he didn’t really see them as he spoke. His gaze was fixed on Jensen as though he was the most precious jewel in all of the seven seas.

"That's great and all, but in case you’ve forgotten you live in the water and old Jenny here needs air to breathe.” Always the practical one, Chris brought up the one flaw in the plan. “How’s that going to work?"

The sheepish look that Jared wore made Jensen want to kiss him silly. "Um… that's not a problem. See, I have two potions, one that will make Jensen a merman but it will also allow him to return to human form whenever he wants to come visit.”

“And what does the other one do?” Steve asked although he was pretty sure he already knew.

“The other that will make me human," Jared explained.

Behind him Jensen heard his mother’s hopeful cry and he knew that all he had to say to Jared was that he wanted to stay human and Jared would take the second potion for him. But Jensen knew that this village needed Jared to protect it from outsiders and to watch over them while they were out fishing on the vast open expanses of water. Jared had always kept them safe from the great unknown dangers out there, plus the sea was his true home, it was the one place on earth where he truly belonged.

For the young human there really was no choice just as there was no doubt in Jensen's voice as he looked Jared straight in the eye and in a firm voice announced, "I want to become a merman and live in the ocean with you." The light of pure love that lit up the kraken’s face told Jensen that he’d definitely made the right decision.

Before he could go with Jared though, Jensen turned back to his parents and engulfed them in strong hugs. "Don't cry for me, mom, dad, I'm finally where I belong," Jensen whispered in their ears.

Alan Ackles clung tightly to his only son for several moments before slowly pulling back and wrapping his arms around his wife. He turned a steely eye towards Jared and there was no doubt about the intensity of his words. "Take good care of my son or centuries old or not I will find a way to kill you," Alan warned.

Even as Jensen let out a horrified 'Dad!' Jared gave a soft nod; he didn't blame Jensen's dad one little bit. "I swear to you that no harm will ever come to Jensen but if he is somehow inexplicably harmed by my hands then I will personally give you the means to destroy me." Jared knew that Jensen would be getting a similar talk from his friends and it warmed his heart to know that Jensen was so deeply loved.

Alan believed Jared. "We expect you both for dinner next week," he declared his voice thick with emotion.

Jensen wanted to make a face; he doubted very much that he would be willing to share Jared in a week's time but before he could say anything Jared spoke up. "That's fine with me, Sir."

Alan and Donna chuckled as Jensen shot Jared a disgruntled look and Jared in return gave him a set of puppy eyes that would melt even the hardest of hearts. "Fine,” he grumbled. “We'll see you in a week. Now if you all don't mind I have a mate to claim." Jensen spoke loudly enough that his voice carried on the wind and it was accompanied by a glare for the crowd that made his message crystal clear: Jared was his and no one else’s.

Jared’s chuckle drew Jensen's attention back to him. "I think they get the message. It's time to go, Jensen, we have much to do." Jared once again held out his hand to Jensen who didn't think twice about taking it. "Hang on to me," Jared whispered into his mate’s ear as he pulled Jensen into his arms and then together they sank down into the waters never once looking back.

Jensen shivered as the cold water washed over him. "I trust you Jared; you will never let anything happen to me."

To know he had Jensen's absolute trust made Jared want to do back flips but he didn't dare risk his mate; there would be plenty of time for frolicking amongst the waves later. "Thank you, Jensen, you have no idea what that means to me."

Jared's cave was nothing like Jensen imaged it would be; it had an area with an air pocket that Jensen could safely be in and there was a warm homey feeling to the entire space. The cave itself was far from empty, there were stacks and stacks of books lined up against the walls, there was a kitchen area in which to cook and Jared had even prepared a comfortable bed for Jensen to lie down on. Looking up Jensen noticed that the roof was covered in a type of crystal that he’d never seen and when the sun hit them just right they sparkled and sent out rainbow-hued shafts of light through the cave.

"Wait until you see it tonight, the moonlight makes this place glow," Jared told Jensen as he moved about the cave, gathering the potions they would need before he seated the young man on the edge of the bed. Kneeling down in front of Jensen, Jared explained, "Okay, the changes are going to be hard on your body so this potion will put you to sleep until they are done and you will be completely numb to the pain." He handed over a vial of glowing green liquid.

Swallowing hard Jensen slowly took the proffered vial; he stared at it knowing that if he called things off right now Jared would drink the potion and become human just to be with him. Jensen smiled warmly at Jared. "Well here goes nothing."

"Wait!" Jared called out just before the first drop hit Jensen's lips. "I would like to kiss you first, as you are. I fell in love with you as a mortal and I want our first kiss to be just as we are," Jared explained.

Placing the potion down Jensen pulled Jared into a tight embrace and pressed his lips against Jared's; inexperienced as he might be in the pleasures of the flesh Jensen did know how to kiss but no other kiss ever equalled the one he was experiencing right at that moment with Jared.

It was absolutely perfect.

Slowly they broke apart and Jensen felt more than a little smug at the completely dazed look he saw in Jared's eyes. "We'll pick this up from where we left off once I've changed and then you are mine!" Jensen vowed his voice dropping into a low tone that had Jared whimpering again. Pleased with himself Jensen swallowed back the drink and tried not to gag at the horrible taste.

Slowly he felt himself being eased down onto the bed with Jared's weight curled up around him and the last thing Jensen saw before darkness swept over him was Jared's eyes. "Sunflowers, you're eyes are like sunflow…" Jensen’s slurred words came out on an exhaled breath.

Waiting was something that Jared never liked to do but now waiting for Jensen to wake up was the worst thing he’d ever gone through. He kept a close eye on his mate’s progress and once Jensen started to grow gills Jared eased into the water with him so that he could breathe. Jared was thankful that Jensen was knocked out as he watched the painful process of the bones in his human legs fusing together to become a tail the colour of emerald that matched his eyes.

The first star had taken its place in the night sky when Jensen finally began showing signs of waking up.

Jensen let out a sigh as he woke up from the most glorious of dreams; he’d finally been chosen as tribute to the kraken and he was about to become a merman to be with the one he loved. It wasn't until he heard Jared's soft, "Jensen?" that he knew it had been no dream.

"Did it work?" Jensen asked keeping his eyes firmly locked on Jared’s; he was almost afraid to know the answer.

Jared's joyful smile nearly split open his face. "It worked and you look amazing. Not that you didn't look amazing as human!" Jared quickly added when Jensen raised an eyebrow.

Jensen finally dared to look down at his body; his skin look a little paler and his fingers still looked the same but it was the lower half of his body that caught his attention. "I have a tail!" Jensen whispered in awe as he gave an experimental swish.

Jared grinned goofily at him. "You do and it's amazing tail."

Happier than he’d ever been in his life Jensen smiled as he turned in Jared's arms and wrapped his arms around his mate. "Now then, let's talk. I know that you’re centuries old and no doubt have had other lovers but I'm going to make sure that you forget every single one of them," Jensen vowed as he pulled Jared’s head down into a soul searing kiss.

Jared had been kissed before but not one of them could match the kiss that Jensen gave him. It was claiming, it was coming home and it promised a future together. Jared knew that no other kiss could ever measure up to the feeling of Jensen's mouth against his. Jared was at long last complete.

End

 


End file.
